Apologise for baby death, NHS ordered

Watchdog says board made errors in mother’s care

A HEALTH board has been told to apologise over the death of a baby after staff failed to monitor its mother properly during pregnancy.

The parents, named only as Mr and Mrs C, were ‘devastated’ after their baby was stillborn.

The couple had been trying for a baby for some time and after becoming pregnant, Mrs C developed symptoms of pre-eclampsia.

She was admitted to an NHS Fife hospital, but sent home after staff decided her test results were ‘reassuring’.

However, when she returned two days later for a planned birth, the baby was found to have died and was stillborn the next day.

The couple complained to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Scotland’s NHS watchdog, saying the death of their son was ‘only made worse’ by the fact they felt it was ‘completely avoidable’.

Yesterday ombudsman Rosemary Agnew ordered NHS Fife to apologise to the couple, saying it failed to conduct tests to clarify Mrs C’s diagnosis, and failed to recognise abnormalities when she was monitored in hospital.

Mrs C’s symptoms included increased blood pressure and slightly raised levels of protein in her urine, which can be signs of pre-eclampsia, a condition that can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby.

At 38 weeks of pregnancy, a plan was made for her to be induced a week later, and she was monitored in the meantime.

But despite a cardiotocography (CTG) test showing that the baby’s heartbeat was slowing, she was sent home from hospital.

When she returned to be induced two days later, the baby had died.

Mrs Agnew said: ‘After taking independent clinical advice from a midwife and two obstetrics and gynaecology consultants, we upheld Mr and Mrs C’s complaint about the management of her pregnancy. An earlier delivery date could have changed the tragic outcome in this case.

‘Mr and Mrs C have described how devastated they were at the loss of their baby, particularly as they have been trying to start a family for some time.

‘Mr and Mrs C said this was “only made worse” by the fact that they feel their baby’s death was completely avoidable.’

The SPSO also called on boards to apologise in three other cases in her latest monthly report, published yesterday.

The included a man who had to have his leg amputated after delays in his treatment for a blocked artery at NHS Lanarkshire. And NHS Forth Valley was told to apologise in the case of an 81-year-old cancer patient who died after GPs failed to investigate the symptoms.

The SPSO also found ‘failings’ in the care of a man in NHS Fife who was treated as a minor head injury and later found to have suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Yesterday, the boards said they would take forward the recommendations in the SPSO reports.

‘Changed the tragic outcome’